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News

Launch of Taste 2001 Food Festival

Taste 2001, Poole's first festival of food, staged a prestigious launch at the Haven Hotel, Sandbanks, Poole on Thursday 21 June. The launch announced Prowting Homes West as the event sponsor and welcomed celebrity chef and restaurateur Brian Turner as Patron of the festival. An exciting and diverse programme of activities and menus was unveiled and the Poole NHS Trust Children’s Unit was adopted as the festival’s designated charity.

Taste 2001 will take place in and around 29 of Poole’s top restaurants from 7 to 16 September. The town’s chefs, many of them award winning, the Poole Tourism Partnership and local suppliers have come together to create a ten-day festival showcasing the quality and diversity of dining out in Poole.

Jane Jones, Event Organiser said, "We have some outstanding chefs and stylish restaurants which have enhanced Poole’s growing reputation for dining out. Taste 2001, sponsored by Prowting Homes West, involves 29 restaurants flaunting their own style. Local residents and visitors can indulge in fine food and wine, while the food and drinks editors of the national press sit up and take notice of our ambition to become ‘number one’ outside of London."

The quality and diversity of Poole’s cuisine has been endorsed by top celebrity chef and restaurateur, Brian Turner, regular star of TV’s Ready Steady Cook. Brian said: "I feel privileged and proud to be Patron of what promises to be a really wonderful occasion. I am greatly looking forward to the festival and it will be an honour to have an active role."

Barry Stiles, Regional Director of Prowting Homes West, said: "Sponsorship of Taste 2001 is a natural choice for us. Prowting Homes is not just about building homes, it's about creating a better environment and we feel this is one of many ways our company can contribute. Poole is an area which is buzzing with excitement and the Taste 2001 food festival will not only draw in people from outside, which is good from an economic aspect, but also provide the local people with an event to be proud of."

As Taste 2001’s designated charity, the Children’s Unit at Poole Hospital is also set to benefit from the festival. All funds raised will go towards replacing much needed nursery crockery and cutlery on the ward. Kevin Bailey, Catering Manager at Poole Hospital, said: "We are delighted that so many local restaurants have come together to support us. We work hard to make meals nourishing, attractive and appealing to the children. Presenting food on specially designed plates and dishes will help encourage sick children to eat."

Taste 2001 will commence with an opening ceremony on 7 September and be followed by individual events within each of the participating restaurants. The festival will feature four themed area events, special menus, demonstrations and displays over the ten day period. The festival also encompasses the traditional French Street Market and British Farmers Market and culminates with a stylish gala dinner.

Layne Turvey, Tourism Marketing Officer, Tel (01202) 262673